HeritageFree entry

Burj Al Arab

#7of 10 places to visit in DubaiDubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Also known as Tower of the Arabs

Quick answer

Opening hours: No fixed opening hours. Entry is free. Allow 30 min.

Updated 18 September 2026 · Compiled by Traveliac, AI-assisted · 4 min read

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Photo: Alberto-g-rovi / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Opening hours: No fixed hours; Exterior viewpoints accessible 24 hours. Sahn Eddar afternoon tea and Skyview Bar operate on fixed reservation seatings, typically around 13:00 and 16:00.
Entry fee: Free
Time needed: 30 min
Best months: Nov – Mar
Address: Jumeirah St, Umm Suqeim 3, Dubai

About Burj Al Arab

Burj Al Arab rises 321 metres from its own artificial island 280 metres off Jumeirah Beach, its sail-shaped silhouette designed by British architect Tom Wright of Atkins to evoke the billowing spinnaker of a traditional dhow. The building is frequently marketed as a 'seven-star' hotel, though this rating has no basis in any official global hospitality classification system - the hotel itself, along with independent reviewers, generally treats it as an informal marketing phrase for its five-star-plus, all-suite standard rather than a verifiable rating tier. Every one of its 202 duplex suites, the smallest around 170 square metres, places it among the most spacious standard hotel accommodations in the world. The atrium interior, reaching 180 metres and described by the hotel as the tallest atrium in the world, is finished in gold leaf, and the building's structural engineering required 230 concrete piles driven 45 metres into the seabed before construction of the island and tower could begin. Because the hotel is a private, guest-only property, the vast majority of visitors experience it as an exterior landmark, photographed from the public beaches and causeway that flank the island.

Burj Al Arab timings

Opening hours: No fixed hours; Mon–Sun No fixed hours; Exterior viewpoints accessible 24 hours. Sahn Eddar afternoon tea and Skyview Bar operate on fixed reservation seatings, typically around 13:00 and 16:00.
Closed on: Open every day

Mon–Sun	No fixed hours

Good to know: Reservation availability tightens significantly during the November-March peak season.

Opening hours compiled from jumeirah.com and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Burj Al Arab ticket price

Entry fees for Burj Al Arab
Ticket	Price
Standard ticket	Free
Concession (student / senior)	Free
Children	Free

Exterior viewing from public areas (Jumeirah Beach Public Beach, Kite Beach, or the Jumeirah Road causeway viewpoint) is free. Interior access is restricted to hotel guests and those with a confirmed paid reservation: Sahn Eddar afternoon tea in the atrium costs around AED 600 per person, and Skyview Bar seatings (two sittings daily) are separately priced and booked well in advance - as of 2026, verify current rates and booking terms at jumeirah.com. A same-day cancellation fee of roughly AED 300 applies to missed reservations.

Prices compiled from jumeirah.com and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Best time to visit Burj Al Arab

Quiet
Moderate
Busy

07:00 - 10:00
Morning BeachBest time to go
Quiet public beaches with clear sightlines to the hotel; cooler temperatures for a longer photography stop.
Quiet
10:00 - 16:00
Daytime Beach
Beachgoers and day-trippers fill Jumeirah and Kite Beach; the hotel itself remains accessible only to reservation holders.
Moderate
16:00 - 18:30
Sunset Window
Busiest period for exterior photography as visitors gather on public beaches for sunset views of the illuminated hotel.
Busy
19:00 - 22:00
Evening Illumination
The hotel's exterior lighting display is most striking after dark, drawing a steady but less dense crowd than sunset.
Moderate

History of Burj Al Arab

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, then Crown Prince of Dubai, commissioned the hotel as a deliberate statement project intended to put Dubai on the global tourism map at a time when the emirate's international profile was still modest, according to accounts from the design team. Construction began in 1994 on a man-made island connected to the mainland by a private curved causeway, and the hotel opened on 1 December 1999.

The sail-shaped form was selected specifically to create an instantly recognisable silhouette from a distance, a branding strategy that succeeded to the point where the building is now one of the most reproduced images of Dubai in global media, frequently used as photographic shorthand for the city itself even by people who have never visited the emirate.

Rules & etiquette at Burj Al Arab

General public access to the island and the hotel building is not permitted without a confirmed reservation for dining, afternoon tea, or the bar - security checks reservations at the causeway gate, and arriving without one means turning back to the public beach viewpoints instead. Dress code for confirmed reservations is smart/semi-formal; swimwear, flip-flops, and shorts are not accepted for the afternoon tea or restaurant seatings.

Cancellations inside 24 hours of a booked reservation typically incur a fee (around AED 300), so reservations should be confirmed only once travel plans are firm. Photography from the public beaches is unrestricted, but drone flight near the hotel and its private island is prohibited under UAE civil aviation rules without a specific permit.

Tips for visiting Burj Al Arab

1
Jumeirah Beach Public Beach and Kite Beach, both a short walk or taxi ride from the hotel, are the two best free public vantage points, with Kite Beach offering a slightly wider, less obstructed angle and more casual beachfront cafés nearby for a longer stay.
2
For visitors who want interior access without the full afternoon-tea price tag, some UAE-resident promotional rates or off-peak weekday Sahn Eddar seatings occasionally run below the standard AED 600 rate - checking directly with Jumeirah's reservations team ahead of a trip is worth the effort. Combine the exterior viewing with a Jumeirah Mosque visit or a Dubai Marina walk, both roughly 15-20 minutes away by taxi, to build a half-day loop along Dubai's Jumeirah coastal corridor.

How to reach Burj Al Arab

The red star is Burj Al Arab; the numbered pins are the 6 nearest places in our guides, each showing its rank in its city. Tap a pin for details.

Jumeirah St, Umm Suqeim 3, DubaiDirections in Google Maps

From Dubai International Airport (DXB)
20 km · 25-35 min
AED 65-90 by taxi (no direct metro/tram link)
From Mall of the Emirates Metro Station
6 km · 10-15 min by taxi from station
AED 25-35 by taxi after the metro leg
From Dubai Marina
9 km · 15-20 min
AED 35-45 by taxi

Nearest airport

From Dubai International Airport (DXB)

approximately 20 km, 25-35 minutes by road.

Nearest station

From No direct metro station; Mall of the Emirates Metro Station (Red Line) is the closest at roughly 6 km, requiring a taxi or bus for the final stretch.

Burj Al Arab FAQs

Can I go inside Burj Al Arab without staying there?

Yes, but only with a confirmed paid reservation for dining, afternoon tea, or the bar - general walk-in public access is not permitted. Sahn Eddar afternoon tea costs around AED 600 per person as of 2026, and Skyview Bar seatings require separate advance booking.

Is Burj Al Arab really a seven-star hotel?

No, the 'seven-star' description has no basis in any official global hospitality rating system; it originated as marketing language and is generally treated by the hotel and independent reviewers as an informal way of describing its five-star-plus, all-suite standard rather than a verified classification.

Where is the best free spot to photograph Burj Al Arab?

Jumeirah Beach Public Beach and Kite Beach both offer free, unobstructed views of the hotel and are the most commonly used public vantage points, with Kite Beach providing a slightly wider angle. Sunset is the most popular and busiest time for photography from these beaches.

How many suites does Burj Al Arab have?

The hotel has 202 duplex suites, the smallest around 170 square metres, making it one of the most spacious standard-accommodation hotels anywhere. Every suite is a two-level layout rather than a single-floor room.

Compiled with AI assistance from official sources and public records, and published only after the checks in How we write these guides. Nobody from Traveliac has visited this place. Last updated 18 September 2026. How we rank and check places